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Projekt Druckansicht

Visualisierung der synaptischen homöostatischen Plastizität: Verknüpfung synaptischer Veränderungen während des Schlafes mit dem Lernen in Drosophila

Fachliche Zuordnung Kognitive, systemische und Verhaltensneurobiologie
Förderung Förderung von 2021 bis 2024
Projektkennung Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Projektnummer 467545627
 
Erstellungsjahr 2024

Zusammenfassung der Projektergebnisse

This project aimed to understand how sleep modulates plasticity in learning-relevant synapses in Drosophila. Particularly we were interested in how sleep modulated synaptic plasticity is relevant for long-term memory retrieval thus providing direct evidence for function of sleep in vivo. First, we focussed on developing a memory assay involving flies walking on an air supported ball, with change in angular velocity determining attraction or aversion to a particular odour. However, the scope of the project changed, and we developed a virtual olfactory arena (on air supported ball) wherein attraction or aversion could be measured by walking towards or away from different odours in a closed loop fashion. Second, we utilised our virtual olfactory arena to induce short-term aversive memory and validated the same by optogenetic activation of two different split-gal4 lines targeting distinct dopaminergic neurons (DANs). Third, we developed tools to understand the molecular basis of synaptic strength changes in the presynaptic sites with dSyd1-GFP using confocal microscopy. Further, we also cross validated the same with calcium changes using ‘Rgeco’ in the presynaptic sites of the mushroom body (MB). Currently, we are imaging flies with the virtual olfactory arena under a 2-photon microscope: a) performing long-term aversive memory induction b) linking the behavioural changes mentioned in the previous step with calcium changes at Mushroom body output neuron (MBON) dendrites and Kenyon Cell (KC) axons relevant to the specific DAN being activated c) link molecular changes (with tools already developed) with calcium changes at specific MB sites.

Projektbezogene Publikationen (Auswahl)

 
 

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